Taping machine



March} 15, 1949. c. A. OLSEN 2,464,602

f TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1945 -5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mew? March 15,1949. v c. A. OLSEN 2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. A. OLSEN2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE March 15, 1949.

5 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1945 C. A. OLSEN TAPING MACHINE March 15,1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 11 1945 jnaen March 15, 1949. Y c, QLSEN2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 15,1949 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE TAPING MACHINE Carl A.0lsen, Acton,Mass.

Application Julyll, 1945, Serial No. 604,374

In the application of thermo-adhesive tapes to irregularly shapedarticles such as shoe uppers, it is necessary to maintain the tape underthe proper degree of tension so as to avoid a distortion and alsoaccurately to control'the heat applied to the gummed or adhesivesuria'ceofthe tape so that the tape will be sufi'iciently adhesive firmly toadhere 'to the sheet material; but not sufficiently fluid to causeoffsetting of the adhesive and fouling of the feeding and applyinginstrumentalities of the machine. The control 'of the heating of theadhesive surface of such tapes has been extremelytroublesome because ofsuch variable factors as'the speed of the operator, the

particular type of adhesive, the'character of the adhesive tape and thematerial to which the ad hesive surface is applied,and variousother-fad.

tors the effects of which cannot be accurately predicted so as to permita predetermined setting of the taping machine.

A further difficulty encountered in applying thermo-adhesive tapeto'shoe upper sections and like irregular sheet materials isattributable to the yieldable or elastic character of the sheetmaimproved thermo-adhesive tape which is nor mally resistant todeformation but which, when heated to a degree'suitable-for application'to a shoeupper or like sheet materiaL': is capable 'of' yielding so asto conform lac-irregular contours.

More specific objects are to provide a; taping machine which permits theoperator quickly and easily to control the degree of heat applied to athermo-adhesive tape for any desired operating speed of the machine, andto provide aima'chine in I which such adjustments may be convenientlymade without interrupting the operation or otherwise impairingproduction.

Further objects will be apparentfrom. a consideration of the followingvdescription and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l'is asideelevation of a tapingmachin 3 Claims. (Cl. 12-595) '2 constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tape-applying, feeding and heatinginstrumentalities and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a top planview of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5,respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the-operation of thecutting instrumentalities; V

Fig. 7 is a detail'of the tape cutting mechanism and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of the member and associated partsconstituting the worlr rest and tape-heating'and guiding means;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8; r Fig. 10 is aperspective view of a roll of thermoadhesive tape suitable for use bythe machine shown in Figs. 1 to 6; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective illustrating thestructure ofthe tape shown in Fig. 8.

The particular embodiment herein shown comprises a frame I which may beof the general form of a conventional sewing machine, the frame housingthe operating mechanism for the presser foot 2 and feeding plate 3, bothof which are of suitable size and shape to engage a tape T of the widthbeing employed. An enlarged presser foot 4 is carried by the rod 5 whichis connected with the operating mechanism, the construction andarrangement of-these parts being substantially identicalto those shownin United States Patent No. 2,017,727, granted to me October 15,

1935, to which reference may be had for a more complete description.

In accordance with what is now considered the preferred arrangement, thehorn- 8 is provided with a tape guiding andheating mechanism H] whichcomprises a casting ll (Fig. 4) rigidly secured to the horn 8* adjacentto its outer end. The casting I l is formed with a longitudinallyextending chamber l2 through which extends the drivin shaft 14 for thefeeding plate 3, a longiconnected with a hand operated rheostat 2| andswitch 22, both conveniently located at the base of the frame I, asshown in Fig. 1.

The lower face of casting i may be formed integral with or otherwisejoined to a member so as to provide a good thermal connection permitting conduction of heat from the heating element 2G to all parts ofthe member 25. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 8, the member 25 is formedwith an integral extension 25 (Figs. 2 and 4), the upper end of which isintegrally joined to a plate-like member, the outer end portion of whichprovides a work rest 23 and its inner portion 26 extending rearwardlyover the top of casting II, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The work rest 26is formed with an opening 27 to accommodate thepresser feet 2 and 4 andfeeding plate 3, and the lower :part of the member 25 is slotted orotherwise shaped to provide curved, spaced flanges 30 and 3| whichdefine guiding and heating surfaces between whichthe thermo-adhesivetape T is drawn and simultaneously heat-condi-- tioned. As illustratedin Figs. 2 and 8, the front of the work rest 25 is formed with a curveddown wardly inclined surface to cooperate with the upwardly inclinedcurved surfaces of the flanges 33 and 3|, it being noted that the endsof these surfaces terminate in spaced relation to the outer end of therock shaft |6 so as to accommodate the tape severing mechanismlpresently to be described.

The tape severing and guiding mechanisms comprise a sleeve 34 (Fig. '7)fast to the outer end of the shaft l5 and a'pair of arms 35 and36-secured to the sleeve 34. The arm 35 is formed with a U-shaped end 38which provides spaced supports for a pintle 40, and the end portion ofthe arm 36 and the intermediate portion of the arm .35 are formed withaligned openings to receive a pintle M which rotatably supports a guider011 42 over which the tape T is drawn. The pintle 4|! pivotallysupports a pawl or dog 44, the end of which normally lightly bearsagainst the face of the tape T extending about the roller 42, asillustrated in Fig. 5. A guiding nose 45 is provided adjacent to itslower end with a pair of spaced depending lugs 43 which are mounted onthe pintle so as to permit the guiding nose to undergo a slight pivotalmovement when the arm 35 is swung from one position to another. The freeend of the guiding nose 45 is formed with a tape passage 43 (Fig. 6) andits opposite end is formed with a threaded opening which receives athumb screw arranged to cooperate with a set screw 5| carried by thepawl 43 so that the position of the nose l5 and the engagement of thepawl 44 with the tape T may be varied when the arms 35, 36 are swungdownwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A rocker arm is freely supported by the shaft l6, and pivotally securedto the upper end of this arm is a cutter support 53 which-carriesacutter element 51 positioned so as to project through the opening 2'! inthe work rest at a point closely adjacent to the front end of the feedplate ,3, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower end of the arm 55is formed with a laterally projecting lug 58 and engageable with'thelower edge of the arm 35, and a spring 59, securedto the free end of thearm 55, is effective not only to hold the lug 56 in engagement with arm35. but also to efiect return of the arm 55 to normal position (Fig. 5)after having been swung to tape severing position by the arm 35.

As previously indicated.-the shaft It extends through the frame of themachine and is suitably connected with an operating link (Fig. l) which,in turn, is connected with any conventional type of pedal or likeactuating member positioned for convenient operation, as shown forexample in Patent No, 1,801,972, granted to me April 21, 1931. When theoperating link .58 is pulled downwardly, the shaft IE and arm 35 arerocked in a clockwise direction (Figs. 5 and 6) and due to theengagement between the lug 58 and arm 35, the cutter 5'! is swungupwardly to sever the tape T which is firmly held by the presser foot 4.It will be noted that in swinging the arm 35 downwardly the end of thethumb screw 50 is brought into engagement with set screw 5| and hencethe pawl 44 is more firmly pressed into engagement with the tape T andis thus operative to lock the tape. Thus, the tape T is firmly held bythe presser foot and the pawl 44 during the cutting operation, and afterthe tape has been severed, the pressure on the operating rod 60 isreleased, whereupon the shaft I6, arm 35, guide nose 45 and associatedparts are swung in a counterclockwise direction (Figs.

5 and 6) back to normal position by a suitable spring (not shown) andthe arm 55 and associated parts are independently returned to normalposition by spring 59. Due to the engagement of the pawl 44 with thetape T, the return movement of the arm 35 and associated parts from theposition shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5 effects a slightfeeding of the tape T so that the guide nose 45, when returned to normalposition,

presents a free end portion of tape of suflicientfrom a study. of Figs.5 and 6 that by varying the relative position of screws 5|) and 5|. thefeeding action of pawl 44 may be varied so as to effect feeding of arelatively greater or lesser amount of tape during the return movementof arm 35.

Operating in conjunction with the member 25 and associated parts is anauxiliary tape guide comprising a vertically extending member 65.

positioned between the tape supply roll (not shown) and the member 25.The member 65 is formed with a series of openings 66, each communicatingwith a slot 61 through which the tape T is positioned in the associatedopening.

The lower end of the guide member 65 may rest upon the bench supportingthe machine, as in- I dicated in Fig. 1, and its upper end may beintegral with or joined to a horizontally extending supporting member 68secured to the member 25, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the entiretape heating and guiding mechanism (parts H3, 25 and 65) constitute aunit which may be conveniently attached to and removed from the machine.

The member 65 is so positioned with respect to the'member 25 that anyone. of the openings 66 (here shown by way of example as being three innumber) may cooperate with either the heating flange 30. or 3| so thatthe tape T may be guided in varying degrees of contact therewith.

It will be observed that the size and shape of the flanges 30 and- 3|andtheir, respective distances from the heating element '20 are suchthat they are operative to provide differential heating effects on alength of tape drawn over their surfaces. In other words, the size andshape of the flanges 30 and 3| and their respective positions relativeto the heating element 28 are such that a length of tape T drawn overthe surface of the flange 33 will be heated appreciably more than ifdrawn over the surface of the flange 3|, assuming the same rate oftravel and taking into account the more rapid rate of heatdissipationand such other factors as would necessarily affect the heat transfer toone of the flanges as compared to the other. If, therefore, the tape bepositioned in the top opening 66 of the guide 65 and drawn beneath andin contact with the flange 3%, as illustrated by the solid line in Fig.2, the tape will then be heated the maximum amount for a given settingof the rheostat 2| and a given speed of operation; and if a lesserdegree of heat be desired, the tape may be positioned either beneath theflange 31, or in one of the lower guide openings 66, or both, asillustrated by the dot and dash lines of Fig. 2. In this manner theoperator may quickly and conveniently vary the heating of the tape forany desired operating speed of the machine, and it will be observed thatsuch control may be in conjunction with that afforded by the rheostat 2|and both types of control may be exercised without the necessity ofinterrupting operation since the operator may readily change theposition of the tape not only from one guide opening to another, butalso from one heating flange to the other, as well as manipulate therheostat during the operation of the machine.

In order to assist the operator in applying the heated tape to a shoeupper section or like sheet material, any conventional work holdingmeans, positioned to cooperate with the work rest, may be provided. Ashere shown by way of example, an adjustable work guide or holder (Figs.1 to 3) is secured to the horn 8 so as properly to position and hold ashoe upper section, it being understood that any other suitable type ofwork guide or holder may be provided, depending upon the particular typeof work to which the tape is being applied.

In order to prevent injury to the operator and possible injury to theWork, the casting II is provided with a layer of heat insulatingmaterial 'H and a shield 12, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As here shown,the shield 72 may constitute, in effect, a continuation of the work restover which the work is drawn as the tape is being applied.

Although a thermo-adhesive tape such as is described in United StatesPatent N0. 1,668,399 may be employed, for the most satisfactory resultsI prefer to use a specially prepared tape produced from a woven tubehaving a weight of the order of four to twenty yards per pound and athread count of the order of 60 x 60. In accordance with the preferredpractice of this aspect of the invention, such a tube is first cutspirally so as to produce a bias-cut strip having a weight of the orderof six yards per pound. The strip thus prepared is then sized to effectan appreciable stiffening and locking of the crossyarns, the dryingoperation being conducted on a tenter so as to secure a prestretchedfabric strip sufficiently stiif to resist deformation when subjected toforces of a low order of magnitude. A suitable thermo-adhesive coating,such as gutta-percha base composition, is then applied to the driedprestretched fabric, using a heated spreader bar or the like so that theadhesive coating is firmly anchored to the sized fabric. After cooling,the coated fabric is then slit to the desired widths and wound on coresinto rolls Hill (Figv 10) of the desired length.

The product thus produced comprises a biascut prestretched woven fabricliil (Fig. 11) having a weight of the order of 2.7 ounces per squareyard, the constituent yarns or threads being coated with a size I92which provides a partial but substantial stiffening effect, and athermoadhesive coating Hi4 firmly united to the sized base. The coatingI94 cooperates with the size M2 to produce a reinforcement which isnormally effective to maintain the tape relatively nonyieldable andresistant to deformation when subjected to forces of a low order ofmagnitude, but when heated to the softening point of the adhesive orotherwise subjected to a moderate degree of heat such as produced by theheating flanges 30 and 3i, the tape becomes readily conformable toirregular contours.

When the length of such tape is drawn from the supply roll, it iscapable of resisting distortion, but after being drawn across theheating surface of the flanges 3B or 3| and the work rest, the adhesivecoating Hi l is softened sufiiciently to become tacky. At this point thesizing W2 is eifective to prevent distortion or elongation due tofeeding the tape and hence the tape does not undergo dimensional changesprior to the application to the work. However, the fonces incident toapplication of the preheated tape to the work are suflicient to distortthe tape so that it may readily conform to curved contours such as areencountered in shoe upper sections, and when the adhesive cools itassumes its original condition and hence is effective to maintain theshape imposed on the tape and thus provides a smooth effectivereinforcement free from blisters and other irregularities.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applyingthermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heatingmechanism comprising a member shaped and arranged to define a pluralityof spaced arcuate surfaces over which the thermo-adhesive tape is drawnand a Work rest surrounding the operative parts of said feeding andpressing means, means for heating said surfaces and work rest, and anupright member disposed in advance of said mechanism and havingvertically spaced channels in alignment with said arcuate surfaces, saidupright member being selectively operative to guide said tape in varyingdegrees of contact with said surfaces.

2. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applyingthermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heatingmechanism comprising means defining a work rest surrounding theoperative parts of said feeding and pressing means, and a plurality ofspaced vertically aligned guiding surfaces adjoining and in heattransfer relation to said work rest and over which the thermo-adhesivetape is drawn in traveling to the work rest, an electrical heatingelement in fixed heat transfer relation to said work rest and spacedsurfaces, said heating element being effective to produce differentialheating effects on said surfaces.

3. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applyingthermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heatingmechanism comprising a work rest over which the tape passes, the lowerpart of said work rest having a plurality of laterally projectingflanges defining spaced surfaces over which the tape is drawn intraveling to the work rest, heating means disposed in heat transferrelation to said work rest and flanges and operative to producedifferential heating effects on said surfaces, and means for guidingsaid tape over any one of said surfaces and in varying degrees ofcontact with the selected surface.

CARL A. OLSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

